The First To Listen
by Ashimattack
Summary: "Well, everyone eventually has to discover that their father isn't a hero." He was stricken.


**Set after "Dark Side Of The Moon" (S5 E16) but there aren't any obvious spoilers, enjoy  
><strong>**And thanks for Cats_and_NCIS_obsessed for BETAing me :)**

(;-;)

The cold air chilled his hands and bit at his cheeks. His nose was runny and he couldn't be sure if it was from the weather or from the crying – _No, _he thought_, I'm not crying. It must be from the air._

He walked with his head hanging low, eyes trained only a few steps in front of him when a strange animal came into his view. A small bird that waddled along the ground, it looked up at him, its small beady eyes seemed to bore into his own, it quacked and proceeded to peck at his shoe. He searched his memory for its name, a duck. Looking up he saw a whole pond filled with the creatures, and sitting beside the pond on an old bench was a girl.

He dragged his eyes from the pond and studied the girl. She was crying. Sorrow, longing and pain were clearly displayed on her tear stained face. He walked closer to her and felt compelled to speak.

"What are you doing?" He asked bluntly. She looked surprised at the interruption but did not bother to regain her composure.

"Wishing." She said simply, in a sweet high voice that was the complete opposite of Castiel's own gruff tones.

"Wishing for what?" He asked, confused.

"For bread." This answer seemed to make sense. The girl was small, very thin. But Castiel still wondered why she would wish for bread, when all the other humans he had met (admittedly that was only Dean, Sam and Bobby) would've wished for something more.

"Why bread?"

"Because that is their favourite food." All sense was gone; Castiel was back to being confused. He tilted his head.

"Whose favourite food?" There didn't seem to be anybody else around.

"The ducks." He furrowed his brow.

"Why would you want their favourite food?"

"So I can feed them."

_What?_ "Why?" _why them?_

"Because they look hungry."

Her replies were lost on Castiel, he couldn't fathom what she was feeling and it only bewildered him further.

"But... Why? Why feed them? Are you not hungry yourself?"

The girl met his gaze for the first time and he saw something there that he could not recognise, something that he could never hope to recognise. He tore his eyes away from hers and she continued to look longingly at the pond. Castiel looked to the pond as well.

They remained in silence. Castiel looked back at the girl.

"How can you do that?" he asked quietly.

"Do what?" She questioned, soft tones.

"Stare with such an open look of longing. All your emotions are given away by your expressions." Her eyes misted over and longing turned to sadness. He saw every emotion written on her face as she passed through them. He turned away. When he turned back she was staring into his eyes in a similar way to Anna when she asked him to rebel, similar to Dean when he asked what his purpose was, similar to the duck from earlier, like she wanted something from him.

"Why are you crying?" soft sweet tones, so innocent and honest. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"I am not..." He paused, then changed his mind; "...I was let down by the most important person in my life."

She nodded and remained silent. He continued.

"I just... I always thought that he could do anything. I believed that he could fix everything."

He looked up from his shoes again to see her eyes staring straight into his.

"Well, everyone eventually has to discover that their father isn't a hero." He was stricken.

"How did you..?" he trailed off when she smiled.

"So I was right." She grinned.

"Sorry?"

"You're upset about your Dad." He stayed silent, her smile dropped and she hesitantly continued; "you're not the only one with father issues."

Grief seemed to overcome her and the small, selfless girl who spoke in sweet riddles and knew everything dropped her sparkling eyes back down to the ducks in the water. Castiel had never wanted to save the human race more than he did in that one moment.

They remained in silence until her tears seemed to dry and she looked back up at him with a smile.

"But, even so, you just gotta keep going, you know? So your dad isn't a hero, that's okay. Just find a new hero, or be your own hero. That way you won't be let down again" His eyes pricked and he felt that he understood something. He turned away from the girl and saw one of the ducks standing a few feet in front of him.

He wished he had some bread with him.


End file.
